


You Can Have Manhattan

by joshs_franklin



Series: For The Best [1]
Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: F/M, Family, Family Secrets, Fluff, Original Character(s), Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:48:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28511433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joshs_franklin/pseuds/joshs_franklin
Summary: Nini has a secret that can change their lives. Perhaps it’s better that it stays a secret.
Relationships: Ricky Bowen & Nini Salazar-Roberts, Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts
Series: For The Best [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2088540
Comments: 3
Kudos: 26





	You Can Have Manhattan

**Author's Note:**

> hi everyone! welcome to my new series entitled “For The Best” !! i have previously posted the first three parts of this on my wattpad account but i’ve decided i want to edit and expand on this little universe so i’ve decided to do that here!! just want to say thank you to @ebi_pers for helping me out and letting me bounce ideas past them!! i hope you all enjoy!!

tears slipped quietly from Nini's eyes as she stared down at the bathroom sink. inside it, there laid two sticks, both containing the word she hated most at this moment. 

_pregnant ___

__

that word felt like a death sentence. she was forever bound to another life. she wasn't afraid of being mother, quite the opposite, she always wanted to be a mom. she was worried about her boyfriend. 

Ricky had gone away during spring break to Chicago to see his mom. originally, Nini was supposed to come along but then she started to get sick. Ricky wanted to cancel and stay with her but she made him go. 

she was all alone. 

of course this would happen to her. she had nobody to blame except herself. she and Ricky weren't always exactly safe but she always had her pill; except, she had forgotten a dose three weeks ago and now here she was. 

alone and pregnant. 

she wiped her tears and grabbed the sticks, walking into their bedroom of their shared apartment. when they had moved to New York City to go to NYU, they'd moved into this apartment that they'd called home for the last two and a half years. now it didn't feel like home. 

she picked up her phone tentatively, scrolling through her contacts and clicking on one. she sniffled as the dial tone came on. she heard the line connect and before anyone could speak, she mumbled out, "mama? i made a mistake." 

~~

when Ricky came home three days later with his suitcase in tow, everything appeared normal. except Ricky noticed something was wrong immediately.

he noticed how her ukulele wasn't in its permanent spot next to his guitar, or how her backpack that sat by the door wasn't there, and how her favorite records from their little collection were gone. he dropped his stuff by the door and quickly rushed to the kitchen, rifling through the cabinet to find that her favorite mug was gone. he let out a sigh as he ran to their bedroom, throwing open the door. he let out a shuttered breath as his eyes filled with tears. her theatre posters and playbills were removed from the walls, her jewelry gone from the top of the dresser, her drawers left open and bare. he collapsed to the floor letting out a loud sob. 

he noticed a piece of paper on the edge of the bed, he hesitantly reached for it, wiping his eyes so he could read. 

_Richard,_  
_i'm sorry. i can't do this anymore. please don't contact me. i need time. you can have Manhattan, cause i can't have you. _  
_sincerely, Nina___

___everything was wrong. the letter in his hand felt forced, using both their full names. what had he done wrong? he was the perfect boyfriend. he always came home after classes, he made her dinner, he was there for her through everything. why would she leave him?_ _ _

_____ _

____

~~

Nini stood in her childhood bedroom, taking in her surroundings. she was back in her old room, the room that she had so many firsts with Ricky in. she stood in the middle of the room, her hands subconsciously on her still flat belly. 

a knock on the doorframe brought her out of her trance, she turned to see Carol standing at the door. 

"hi..." 

Carol made her way into the room, pulling Nini into her arms, "honey, why didn't you tell him?" 

Nini let out a sob, "i can't tie him down, he's gonna go and make music and i'll be stuck with a baby. he needs to go live his dream." 

Carol smiled sadly, "what about your dream?" 

Nini's head dropped slightly, "i can't act and be a mother at 20. it won't work. so i'm going to stay here in Salt Lake, maybe i'll go back to school eventually but right now, he needs to be in New York and i need to be away from him."

Nini had made the difficult decision to come home to Salt Lake. she dropped out of NYU, choosing not to transfer schools. when she called Carol that day, her moms hopped on a flight immediately to New York to get their daughter. they packed up her essential belongings and brought her home. she cried the entire flight back to Salt Lake, wondering if she was making the wrong decision. she couldn't tell him, he needed to focus on his music not on a baby when they're only 20. 

~~

the first few months were hard. Ricky couldn't afford the apartment on his part time job salary, him and Nini both worked to pay for it but without her income, he had to move. saying goodbye to that apartment broke his heart, again. it was like he was giving up the final reminder of his ex girlfriend. 

he moved into an apartment with Red and Seb and Carlos. his room was small and dark, a big contrast to his large bedroom with the bright yellow walls in his apartment with Nini. he hardly left his room, only leaving to go to class and work. Red has to force him to eat because he never leaves his room. 

he hasn't been sleeping at night. he goes through the motions every day, running on empty. he tossed and turned at night. his sheets were too scratchy and his comforter was too fluffy. he had gotten rid of bed set from their apartment, Nini had picked it out and it felt wrong to keep it. he couldn't get comfortable at night, he'd spent the last two and a half years sleeping next to Nini and now he couldn't sleep without her. 

he was struggling to get over her. he couldn't figure out what had gone wrong. he had come home from Chicago with a plan. he had been out with his mom in the city and he found this beautiful gold engagement ring with a pink stone in the middle with tiny diamonds around the middle stone. it was unique, just like his beautiful girlfriend. it sat in his pocket the entire plane ride back to New York and he was planning on dropping to his knee the moment he saw her. he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. 

when she left him, he was crushed. he stared at that ring for days on end, sitting open on his dresser. he thought about throwing it into the Hudson River, selling it, giving it away, but he couldn't do it. he couldn't get rid of it. when he moved in to his new place, Red had finally convinced him to put the ring away. he had packed it into his lock box that he kept in his closet. he couldn't part with it yet. 

~~

Nini was four months along now and it was getting hard to hide. she hadn't told anybody about her pregnancy. she kept it a secret from all her friends, breaking off contact with them as well. she was living back in her childhood home, in her old bedroom. her moms had decided it would be best for her to move back in with them so that they could help her raise the baby when it came. 

her moms were converting the guest room into the nursery. it was painted a soft pink with white furniture. Nini stood in the room, rubbing her slightly swollen belly. the walls had been painted and the crib was in the process of being built. she had found out two weeks ago at her last scan that she was having a girl. she was kind of relieved to tell the truth. she wasn't sure if she could handle having a little boy that could potentially look exactly like her ex boyfriend. she knew that her daughter was probably going to look like him but she had faith that she wouldn't have his features. 

she had been debating giving her daughter Ricky's last name. she knew that it could be risky not giving her his name but if his music blew up and he became famous, she didn't want people to be able to connect the dots. she still had to figure it all out. 

~~

the six months since the breakup had been progressively getting better. Ricky had started his senior year at NYU, he was writing new music, he was performing again at open mics, and the biggest development by far was that he had a new girlfriend. 

he had met Emily in his song analysis class. she was the polar opposite of Nini, she was a skater like him, she listened to rock music, she was in a band, and she was a very pessimistic. she was a nice change of pace for him, she brought him out of his funk after the breakup. 

it was now mid November, the snow was beginning to fall in the city and normally, Ricky's mind would be consumed with the fact that Nini loved the snow. she always freaked out and got super excited when the first snowfall hit, especially in the city. now, he was consumed with writing music and spending time with Emily. he was trying to get a record deal, he heard a rumor that a producer for Warner Records was in the city and was going to drop by the local bar he frequented for open mic night. 

he had finally moved on from writing music about Nini. he was experiencing so much more since their breakup and began to think that it was for the best. he almost never thought about that ring that was collecting dust in the box in his closet. he was finally moving on. 

~~

Nini sat in the nursery rocking chair sobbing. these past 8 months had been the most difficult of her life. she felt so alone. her moms had been amazing but there were some things she just couldn't share with them. she hated her body, she hated how she felt. she didn't necessarily hate her daughter, she hated the situation she was in. 

she knew she made the right decision. she had recently seen an article that announced Ricky Bowen as Warner Records newest up and coming artist. she was happy for him, he was finally achieving his dream. this was something he talked about since they were 15 years old. 

she wanted him to be here with her. she wanted to share everything with him. she wanted him to see their daughter. she wanted him to be here to hold her when she got morning sickness and to tell her she'd be okay when she had braxton hicks contractions. she wanted him to rub her back and hold her at night when she couldn't get comfortable. 

she had contemplated calling him to tell him about their daughter. as soon as she found out about his record deal, she decided against it. she couldn't hold him back, not now. plus, she knew he was seeing someone. she had been stalking Red's facebook page and saw a picture of Ricky with his new girlfriend out on a double date with Red and Ashlyn. she had been heartbroken, double dates with Red and Ash had always been their thing. she didn't expect him to never date again but she still felt like it was too soon.  
she had yet to move on from him. she still loved him more than anything, she always would. 

~~

Ricky stood in the conference room. all the record executives were sitting around as they listened to his album. his debut album. 

never in a million years did he think that he would be here. he didn't think he'd get the chance to share his music with the world. Emily gripped his hand tightly as the execs talked amongst themselves.

he felt like he was on top of the world. he was doing well in school, he was a recording artist with an album, he had amazing friends, and a wonderful girlfriend. 

still, he couldn't help but feel like something was missing. he couldn't quite figure out why. 

~~

Nini screamed in agony. she was lying in the hospital bed, the doctors hands trying to get her baby out. her moms stood on either side of her, holding her hands and wiping the sweat from her forehead as she pushed. 

she had been in labor for almost 72 hours and she felt like she was dying. her water had broken three days ago but she dilated at the slowest pace ever. when she finally reached ten centimeters she was exhausted. she hadn't slept at all since being admitted to the hospital. 

she let out loud sobs as she collapsed against the bed, giving up after her 8th push. she was tired, she was drained both mentally and physically. she couldn't do it. 

Carol wiped the hair stuck to her forehead back into place, "babygirl you can do it, just a few more pushes!" 

Nini sobbed, "i can't do it! i can't do it!" 

Dana squeezed her hand as she ran her thumb over the back of her hand, "what do you want baby? what do you need?" 

"i want Ricky!" 

that was the first time she had said his name in 9 months. Carol and Dana were caught off guard at their daughters cry, she hadn't said his name since coming home, never admitting that she wanted him here. 

she sobbed quietly, "i want Ricky...i want Ricky." 

Carol rubbed her shoulder, "Nina, you can do this. you don't need him here. just a few more pushes and then you get to hold your baby girl! do it for your daughter!" 

Nini nodded tiredly, feeling another contraction hit her as she began to push again. her screams bounced off the walls and were soon replaced with the sweet cries of a newborn baby. 

"Nini, she's beautiful!" Dana said as Carol cut the chord. 

Nini caught her breath as she laid against the bed. she could hear the cries of her daughter but yet, she wanted nothing to do with her. she couldn't bring herself to look at her. that was, until, she was placed in her arms. 

the second her daughter was placed in her arms, she fell in love. she had the cutest button nose and greyish-blue eyes. she had a little patch of honey brown curls. little ringlets, just like her father. 

a few tears slipped out as she ran the back of her finger over her sleeping daughters cheek. Carol and Dana kissed Nini on the head before stepping out of the room, wanting to give their daughter a moment alone with her baby. 

Nini cried silently as she held her daughter. she was so in love with her already. she knew that she would do anything for her. 

she kissed her hair lightly as she held her up against her chest, speaking softly to the little girl. "hi babygirl, i promise you i will do anything to protect you in this world. i'm going to love you until the end of time." 

the baby cooed against her chest. suddenly, she no longer yearned for her ex boyfriend. she had everything she needed right here in her arms.


End file.
